


Refuge at Hammerhead

by rinverse



Category: Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy XV: Kingsglaive
Genre: Action & Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Relationships, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Short & Sweet, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-11-16 02:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11244114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinverse/pseuds/rinverse
Summary: When Crowe Altius is sent on a mission to escort Princess Lunafreya to the Crown City, she finds herself betrayed by those she once called family. Vulnerable and injured, Crowe gets help from an unlikely ally. Cindy Aurum is a cheerful and optimistic person, perhaps everything Crowe isn't. Together, they might just find the strength to protect one another. As the Kingsglaive is falling apart and the enemy empire is plotting against the Kingdom, can Crowe warn the only people she can still place her trust upon in time?





	1. Evading Fate

“Escort Princess Lunafreya out of Tenebrae,” they’d said. In the most casual tone, as if it didn’t involve infiltrating enemy territory and stealing the Empire’s imprisoned Oracle. “A simple escort. No complications,” they’d said. Since when had the word ‘escort’ started carrying the same meaning as ‘rescue a heavily guarded princess and try not to get killed in the meantime’?

Such thoughts were troubling Crowe Altius as she mounted Lucis’ fastest motorcycle. With a small wave of gratitude at the ‘Speed Chocobo’ van which had dropped her off, she signalled that everything was set.

From now on, she was on her own. A long journey awaited her. And a ridiculous rescue plan, which—quite frankly—had as many holes in it as Crowe would if the magitek soldiers caught her.

The more she thought, the more absurd everything seemed to her. Being part of the Kingsglaive involved receiving many assignments—Crowe’s exceptional skills at wielding magic had always guaranteed her a spot on the battlefield. But going undercover to rescue Princess Lunafreya from the Empire’s clutches was pushing it. By a long shot.

Crowe looked at her wristwatch. In a moment’s time, she’d be headed straight for Tenebrae, with only one stop to fuel up before crossing the border. Was there anything she should have told Nyx and Libertus? In case of the worst. A proper goodbye, at least?

The young soldier stared at her motor helmet for one more second before focusing on the mission ahead of her.

It was then that a sudden movement made her pause. Crowe looked around but saw nothing to send her on alert. A piece of broken down debris, maybe? After all, the place they’d picked to drop her off was nothing but ruins and remains of a village. A small town—much like the one she’d grown up in—only having succumbed to the hardships of wars, raids, and time.

And yet, Crowe watched in silence and confusion as a white van appeared from behind a pile of ruin. For a moment, she’d forgotten how to breathe. Because no one would choose this path unless they were lost. And just what were the chances?

The driver signalled his intention to pull over. With wheels scraping against the rocky asphalt, the van came to a stop some four-five metres in front of Crowe.

‘ _No complications_ ,’ the soldier repeated Captain Drautos’ words in her mind.

Then why was the van blocking her path?

Without any sudden moves, Crowe reached up and turned the key in the ignition. Her thumb trailed across the kill-switch. All the while, her eyes were on the white van. There was something wrong; she could sense it. Her instincts were screaming at her to start the motor, to hit the gas.

When the driver rolled down his window, a terrible realisation struck Crowe. Dread came to her and went in waves as she caught a glimpse of the person behind the wheel.

“Luche?” Her voice was quiet but her mind was reeling back and forth. Because there was no explanation why he had come and how he had known she was here.

“Crowe.” He acknowledged her with a chilling smirk.

For a split second, Crowe saw the sun rays reflect against the metal surface of a pistol.

That alone was enough for her to place full trust in her instincts. As though in a daze, she felt herself pull the clutch in, hit the start button. There was no delay in her actions and certainly no room for hesitation. With no time to lose either, Crowe pumped the shifter to second gear out of neutral.

The motorcycle roared, coming to life, and revved like a wild beast. Its thunderous awakening was followed by the sound of gunshot. A bullet whizzed through the air. Crowe could not tell whether it was a hit, for a fog of dust had enveloped the road. The forcing of the wheels had kicked up all the dirt which lay gathered atop the ruins for years and years. For a long, antagonising moment, Crowe couldn’t see anything but a terrible shade of greenish brown.

As she manoeuvred and swerved past the van to head onto the open road, Crowe felt a familiar surge of adrenaline. Only this time it was accompanied by a feeling of doom. Inside of her chest was a crescendo. Her heart hammered in response to the machine’s own thunder-like heartbeat.

Luche freaking Lazarus. A fellow Glaive. A comrade. Crowe’d had his back on the battlefield at least a hundred times. Whenever he’d needed assistance, she’d offered it; whenever he’d been injured, she’d healed him. It was simply how the Kingsglaive worked. ‘For Hearth and Home’.

Always.

But this… This was treason. And it scared Crowe more than any of the deaths she’d witnessed on the battlefront. Even more than the deaths she herself bore responsibility for.

After gaining proper speed, Crowe shifted the bike into third, then into fourth gear. She made sure there were no cars up ahead before locking her gaze onto the van through her rear mirror. The distance between them was growing by the second. But was it going to be enough?

Despite the van’s dimmed windshield and the high speed of their chase, Crowe saw Luche remove his left hand from the steering wheel. There was no doubt—he was preparing to make another shot. And this one would not miss, not when the road went straighter than an arrow and offered no room for any manoeuvres.

Ahead of her, a side road branched off the main path. If she were to head towards Tenebrae, she’d continue straight without as much as glance at the country road and connect with the highway. But then Luche would follow. His aim probably wasn’t so bad as to miss. After all, Crowe’d seen him shoot in countless battles—his aim was perfect.

Feeling as though her stomach was tied up in knots, Crowe prepared to follow the left turn of the road. The curve was a dangerous one to try even with normal speed—she’d all but tripled the speed at which she would attempt taking a corner.

There was no other option for her. ‘Drive until you get shot’ wasn’t the way she’d envisioned to go down. In battle? A glorious death. In the middle of a highway chase? Not so much.

Two hundred meters remained before the start of the turn.

A plan—or at least the beginning of one—formed in her mind. It involved Crowe waiting for the very last possible moment to hit the rear brakes and go into the curve.

The supposed ‘rescue plan’ she was part of had escalated into a ‘suicide plan’. If anything, it was a plan.

Eighty meters before the turn and Crowe hit the rear brake. The motorbike was coming to a speed which would take the turn without sending her off the road. Still, it was too soon to be certain.

Through the grinding of her tyres, Crowe heard a loud _pop_. And then another. For a moment, she thought her bike had taken too much heat. That it had finally given up on her. But then she stopped thinking at all. A sudden shiver of warmth enveloped her. She felt it seep into every part of her body.

Behind her, Luche hit his brakes as well. There was a terrible crescendo of sounds—a chaotic screech of tyres scraping against the road. The air reeked of heated asphalt and scorched rubber. Then, there was another sound, perhaps the most disturbing of them all—a grinding of metal against metal, a deafening crash.

Crowe didn’t look back, she couldn’t focus on anything but the uncontrollable force of her motorbike. The soldier continued braking with the rear as she went into the sharp turn. With one knee pushing against the tank, she leaned into the corner. Her speed was just enough to deepen the lean until her elbow was almost grinding against the asphalt. Just almost. Because an inch lower meant game-over.

A dizziness washed over her. Crowe felt weak and unable to keep herself from releasing her grip on the bike. The world was unlike she’d ever known it. From her perspective, the horizon was a vertical line. Everything else—a blur beyond recognition.

With the throttle still on, Crowe accelerated out of the corner. Finally, almost impossibly so, she straightened up. The horizon was back where it should be, but her stomach was still twisting and untwisting upon itself.

Through the adrenaline-infused delirium, she felt glad she hadn’t had the time to eat a proper breakfast.

Now safe from crashing, Crowe came to a stop and looked back. Luche’s van had hurtled outside of the path and fallen upside-down. Its wheels were spinning out into the air. The source of the terrible grinding sound from earlier must have been no other than Luche’s crash.

The thought of checking whether her chaser was alive crossed her mind. But something else had caught Crowe’s attention. A blood trail. And it could not be Luche’s. The trail began at the start of the turn, from the spot she’d leaned into the road, and followed behind her.

“Shit!” Crowe heaved as she saw blood oozing out of a hole in her leather jacket. It trickled down and fell in thick red drops onto the motorbike.

Vaguely, Crowe remembered that blood-curling _pop_ moments after she’d hit the brakes. That sudden warmth. She felt her left side getting weaker now that the adrenaline was leaving the body.

How she found the strength to get back on the road, Crowe did not know. Her grip on the handlebar was beginning to loosen. Things weren’t looking too good for her. But she had to continue. For Princess Lunafreya and for her own pride as part of the Kingsglaive. Maybe Crowe would survive this, her only chance was to ride until she found a place to treat her wound. Before it was too late.

The strip between the road and the sky had blurred to the point of blending with the trees. Road signs were mere blotches of red. Fast flashes of colour darted across her vision. Despite driving with low speed, she felt as if she was going too fast. Everything was a little too colourful, too bright, too blurry.

Crowe needed to pull over. Somewhere, anywhere.

The wind lashed, ripping through her hair. Chills stabbed into her body, even with the leather jacket as a shield. All she could feel was the wind. And the pain. Every blow had the effect of a whip flung across her face, of a dagger thrown into her left side.

Crowe didn’t know for how long she must have ridden. Somehow, she’d found herself onto the highway again. Her thoughts seemed to escape her. The only things clear enough to grasp onto were the morning sun, the outline of the road, and the pain. Everything else was mangled into a blurry gradient of colours.

Up ahead, something shimmered. Was it a building? Or perhaps an outpost?

Unable to hang on anymore, Crowe dipped from the highway and pulled over into what seemed like a garage. She could never be sure because the world was getting dimmer.

Crowe parked her bike across two spots and collapsed onto it. Her lids were getting harder to keep open. Why was she even fighting? Sleep was calling to her, and it felt like bliss. Like an ocean ready to envelop her.

“Hey, there, sugar! What can I do ya for?”

From the depths of the ocean emerged a voice. Somebody’s cheerful voice. Crowe’d never heard it before in her entire life, but she was ready to trust it. Did she even have a choice?

“I need a first-aid kit,” the Glaive heaved. “Now.”

Just barely, Crowe cracked an eyelid open. The woman with the beautiful voice leaned in to touch her forehead. It was then that the ocean called back upon Crowe. Even though she’d never seen an ocean, nor as much as a lake, she felt a familiar chill as waves of cold closed around her.

She tried to catch sight of the woman’s face but couldn’t. All she could see was a cap. A red cap with the words ‘HAMMERHEAD’. And large eyes with specks of gold amidst a deep green. Then, all went darker than black. The ocean’s waves swooped in, dragging her to the very bottom of its depths, and there was light no more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, reader! As you have undoubtedly learned by now, this is an alternate universe to the Final Fantasy XV series in which Crowe is alive. To be frank, I love her character a little too much to let things remain as they are. So, let's enjoy this short and sweet fic where Crowe still gets to be a complete badass but also finds love along the way. :)


	2. Hammerhead's Mechanic

When Crowe awoke, it was to the sight of racing posters hanging on the wall. Afternoon sunlight streamed from behind the blinds, painting the room around her in a soft orange glow. The woman had no clue as to where she was and how she had gotten here. Yet despite that, the most peculiar thing about the whole situation remained the bed. Not because it was a stranger’s, but because the sheets bore a pattern of alternating cars and trucks.

“Where in Ifrit’s hell is this?” Crowe said aloud. Her voice came out strained as if she had shouted herself hoarse.

Under any other circumstances, Crowe would have found the room cozier than her own—that barren apartment she owned back in Insomnia.

But not when the memories of the highway chase were coming to her. If anything, she became even more confused. A succession of bits and pieces which Crowe’d somehow forgotten now begged to be remembered. Lady Lunafreya. The rescue mission with the absurd plan. Luche betraying the Kingsglaive.

The wound. That was the first time Crowe’d been shot. Through the stomach, no less.

She remembered the terror that had risen when she’d realised her left hand had been unable to grip the handlebar of her motorbike. It was gone now. Crowe could no longer feel the shaking, the chill drawing her towards the darkness. All that remained now was the blood stain on the piece of cloth wrapped around her stomach. And the pain, persistent as it was.

A spasm made Crowe do a double take, just as she’d crawled out of bed. She felt sharp flashes of pain surge through her. Even the most subtle movement hurt in ways she’d never before thought she’d have to endure. She’d imagined what a soldier’s death would be like but being brought back from the brink of it felt much, much worse.

The woman stood up, careful not to disturb the wound. Despite her best efforts, the mere action made her shiver and retaliate in new-born pain. Crowe closed her eyes. She folded like a pocket knife, one hand over her stomach and the other resting atop the nightstand next to her.

Something keeled over, tumbled down. A faint _thump_ informed of its fall upon the carpet.

After taking a deep breath (and cursing the pain away), Crowe opened her eyes. Carefully. A framed photograph had fallen at her feet. A shot of a blonde girl and an aged man, both smiling at the camera. Though she couldn’t be certain, Crowe linked the girl with the voice she’d heard moments before losing consciousness. The voice which had made her feel less afraid to close her eyes and sink into the darkness.

Well, at least she knew whom to thank for bringing her back from the dead. When she thought of what happened, being alive right now seemed like a freaking miracle.

Not that Crowe believed in those. She’d learned not to, even back when she’d still been a parentless child in a poor village with hopes of getting out of there.

Crowe picked up the frame and positioned it back on the nightstand. Coming to stand next to the window, she looked in-between the blinds at a massive billboard sign. ‘HAMMERHEAD’, it read. On the ground, just outside of the garage, was the same blonde girl from the photo. She was tinkering at Crowe’s motorbike.

Despite the wound, Crowe found walking easy. Or at least manageable. Descending the stairs, however, proved to be a challenge. Twice did she feel like doubling over in pain. Not only was the wound giving her hell, but her body ached as well.

Having won the battle with the stairs, Crowe finally approached the garage.

The blonde girl had her back turned to her. She’d bent to examine the disc brakes of Crowe’s motorcycle, seeming absorbed in her work.

“Hello?” Crowe announced her arrival in an uncertain fashion. She eyed the other girl’s outfit but thought nothing of her minimalistic choice of attire. Truth be told, Crowe was enjoying it. Just a little. Or maybe just a little too much...

“Lordy be, if it ain’t our mystery girl!” the mechanic exclaimed in an accent typical for the lands outside of the Crown City. She looked back long enough to beam at Crowe, then continued examining the tyres.

“Up and kicking,” Crowe said with a frown. She knew the ‘kicking’ part was a complete exaggeration. “Guess I’ve got you to thank for that.”

“You were a right mess, lemme tell ya that.” The blonde stood up, removing her gloves. “Hadn’t used a first-aid kit to patch ‘em folk up before. It sure ain’t different from using my repair kit.”

Crowe managed a smile. She was grateful, even though the thought of having been treated by a person who barely differentiated a first-aid from a repair kit didn’t put her mind at ease. Not one bit. “Thank you...”

“The name’s Cindy, sugar.”

Did she say ‘sugar’?

“Crowe.”

“That’s some spunky name you got rockin’!” Cindy laughed. “Now, tell me, what’ve ya done to this girl? ‘Em brake pads’re all thin, rear disc’s all scored. It hurts just lookin’ at ‘er!”

Crowe remained silent. It may hurt looking at the bike, but getting shot through the stomach sure as hell hurt even more. Still, Cindy seemed to have set her priorities rather differently.

The blonde went on. “Y’all Crown-city folk know how to pick yer wheels, don’t ya? Finished up fixin’ four lads’ car just yesterday. A real beauty, too.”

“I’d bet,” the Glaive said. Truth be told, she’d take a motorbike over a car anytime. There was something about the thrill of leaning against a corner, of feeling the wind against her body. Something captivating. “How much are the repairs gonna be?”

“I’d have to charge you ‘bout five thousand gil.” Cindy peaked at Crowe with her bright green eyes. “But this one’s on the house. Got something real special in mind for yer girl! Paw-paw already has the parts.”

The Glaive tried to force herself not to flinch at the mention of the price. Five freaking thousand gil! That was about as much as the Kingsglaive’s annual budget. “You really don’t have to go out of your way. Getting back on the road is enough.”

“And miss the chance to make ‘er the fastest bike in the Kingdom?” A laugh. “Mind passin’ me the 19-mm hex key? Just behind you.”

Crowe passed her the wrench.

The mechanic took it with her back still turned to Crowe. She’d bent so low that her tan line was showing. “Thanks, sugar.”

So Cindy had called her ‘sugar’ after all.

Crowe averted her gaze and managed a small smile. She was faintly aware that this was the first time in a while since she had last been outside Insomnia, talked to the folk who lived outside the wall. It reminded her briefly of her old days.

“Is ‘Paw-paw’ the head mechanic here?” she asked, earning a chuckle from Cindy.

“That’ll be me. Paw-paw’s my grandpa, Cid.”

Crowe leaned against the garage door, hands crossed. “Continuing the family business. That sounds nice.”

“Sure sounds swell but that ain’t the story. My folks passed away when I was lil’. Been helpin’ Paw-paw since, y’know?”

Cindy ran the back of her hand through her forehead. She stepped back for a moment to examine her work.

Her childhood was something Crowe never really talked about. Nyx and Libertus knew not to press her—each had hardships of their own, moments difficult to speak of. To even think of. It was not that she dreaded the very memory of it or wished to forget. It was just that there wasn’t much to talk about. Her life began when the Kingsglaive took her in. There, she’d found a different purpose to living beside finding food and shelter from the rain. Many years may have come to pass since then, but she remembered what it felt like to be given a chance. The chance to start a life, to protect something. ‘For Hearth and Home’.

“I grew up an orphan in a small village on the outskirts of Lucis. But things changed. I found people worth helping as well.”

Cindy beamed at her. “Takes a lot to bring us down, doesn’t it?”

Crowe laughed. It was a gentle laugh. Hearing it made her wonder just how long it must have been since she last had a conversation with someone outside of the Kingsglaive.

When she looked up, she found Cindy smiling even wider at her.

“Sugar, why don’t ya rest up? Don’t wanna’ve  ya blacking out on me again, alright?”

“Yeah, not my proudest moment.” Sure wasn’t a pleasant enough experience to bring upon yourself voluntarily.

“You can sleep in the room we took ya in earlier.”

Crowe raised her eyebrows. “Isn’t that your room?”

“Sugar, I’ll be working in the garage all night. Duty calls and my clients ain’t messin’ around.”

Though with a sense of guilt, the Glaive agreed. As she turned her back on Hammerhead’s mechanic, Crowe shook her head and mumbled, “Losing sleep isn’t good for you.”

Cindy laughed, having heard her low remark. “Don’t ya worry ‘bout this girl. She knows how to treat ‘erself just fine.”

In return, Crowe managed a small grin as she headed towards Hammerhead’s dining restaurant. There was something very interesting about that girl. Maybe because she was so very different from the stern Glaives and the taciturn snobs in the Crown City. Meeting Cindy seemed like a refreshing change of pace.

The Glaive sat on a stool and placed her elbows on the bar. Suddenly, she felt so tired that there was a possibility of falling asleep before even placing her order.

“A Leiden Jambalaya,” Crowe mumbled. “And can I use your phone?”

The owner nodded. “Sure thing. There’s one over her and one at the back.”

Crowe decided upon the phone at the back. It was safer that way. She couldn’t use her own cell for obvious reasons. One, the probability of it being bugged was high, and two, the signal could be traced in less than a minute. Maybe it was a good thing Crowe couldn’t find it anywhere; she suspected she’d lost it during the chase.

From where she was standing, Crowe could see Cindy and the garage but she herself was hidden by the mid-afternoon shadows.

After securing the line, the woman dialed Nyx’s personal phone.

There’d been a betrayal within the Kingsglaive, but she still had people she cared about there. People she felt were as close as family. The Kingsglaive may have moles, but she was more than certain Ulric was not one of them. Libertus and he were the only people she could trust at this point.

Thankfully, Nyx picked up on the third ring. “Ulric speaking.”

“It’s Crowe.”

A string of curses followed on the other side of the line. “ _The_ Crowe? They fucking told us you’re dead!”

“The one and only,” she retorted. “Thank you for your concern but I’m very much alive.”

Nyx let out a heavy sigh. “General Drautos called me this morning, said you were killed on enemy territory.”

“Well, that’s one way of saying they can’t retrieve the body.” And also another way of playing innocent. Even so, Crowe couldn’t be certain as to which side their General was on. If he had betrayed the Kingsglaive, Nyx was in danger. More so than she wished to imagine.

“What happened, Crowe?” Ulric hissed through the phone. “The Princess popped up in the middle of Insomnia this morning. With a Niflheim escort, no less.”

She took a deep breath. “Nyx, the Kingsglaive has been compromised. Luche tried to kill me as I was about to head for Tenebrae.” There was silence. “I don’t know who’s involved, but you can’t trust anyone. Watch out, you and Libertus.”

More silence followed. Crowe could tell Ulric was confused and raging inside at the same time. Mostly raging.

After some thought, Nyx spoke again. “Who gave you that hairpin?”

The hairpin she’d shown Nyx and Libertus before her departure.

Oh.

It was starting to make sense now. How Luche knew her location. Who’d given that little piece of information to him.

“General Drautos did.” Crowe dug out the box with the hairpin from inside her thigh holster bag. She raised the jewel against the afternoon sunlight. “It was his idea to put a tracking device on it in case we lost the Princess. Only he and I knew about this.”

“Shit!” Nyx cursed. “Get it off!”

The female Glaive held up the small piece of technology hidden inside the pin, glaring at it. A moment later the device was crushed by the heel of her boot. “Done.”

“Great. Well, sorry to break it to you but they probably have your location. You’re not safe.”

Crowe blinked. Had she ever been safe? Somehow her gaze found Cindy. Suddenly, ‘safe’ felt next to that girl. Or just looking at her from a distance. Cindy seemed happy, laughing and whistling as she worked on the bike. Her smile was genuine, enrapturing.

Maybe happiness was contagious. Crowe kind of believed it was. “I don’t know, Nyx. Never felt safer.”

“Really?” Ulric grunted. For once, he was the one in a serious mood. “Last time I checked you were nearly killed by a backstabbing piece of—”

“It’s different. Someone saved my life.”

“Doesn’t mean you can trust them.” Nyx sighed. He made a point of doing it in a slow and nerve-wracking manner. “Better get your ass out of there while you still can.”

Crowe managed a tired smile. It was a good thing Nyx couldn’t see it because he’d know. He’d realise that it was the smile of a person who’d just found something worth staying for. Someone. “And you take care of yours.”

Another grunt. “See you around, Crowe.”

“You better.” And there was one other thing… “Nyx, whatever you do, don’t trust the General, definitely don’t trust Niflheim, and don’t leave the Princess’ side.”

“Aye, aye, captain.”

The woman disconnected before Nyx had the chance to come up with another of his witty comebacks. He just had to have the last word. Always.

When she looked back to where Cindy was, Crowe smiled. Maybe she couldn’t stay at Hammerhead for long but she sure wasn’t going to waste the little time she had.

The Glaive ate up at Hammerhead’s diner in peace. After all, she’d warned Ulric; it was now up to him to keep Princess Lunafreya safe. Knowing his lack of respect towards nobility, she’d be charmed.

By the time Crowe had ascended the stairs, she was so exhausted that she plopped onto the bed with a heavy sigh. Through the falling dusk, she could see the outline of two stuffed toy Moogles she hadn’t seen earlier. Even she had to admit there was something adorably innocent about this place. As if it was as far away from war and pain as the world allowed it.

With a smile and Cindy’s name on her lips, Crowe fell right asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dear reader! A big thank-you to the people who left kudos and encouraging comments on the previous chapter, and to you for reading this work! Let's hope you enjoy the story and follow it until the end.
> 
> This chapter was a bit of an introduction to the characters and the new setting Crowe has just found herself in. The wheels have finally started turning and the story is rolling forward. We're going to find ourselves reading a very dynamic next chapter, so stay tuned! :)


	3. Surprises Never Cease

This time, Crowe awoke to a bright and sunny morning. It was the morning of the peace treaty between Niflheim and Lucis. For once, she couldn’t be more glad to be outside of Insomnia. She’d hate to stand there, protecting a treaty she had never even believed in. With members of the Glaive beside her, people whom she could no longer trust.

Today she didn’t have to. Because Crowe was now far from the Crown City, from the traitors who’d tried to kill her. More importantly, today she was with Cindy.

Upbeat electro swing was playing on the radio, and Cindy was rocking her hips to the rhythm of the music as she worked on the motorbike.

“Mornin’, sugar!” The head mechanic smiled even more upon seeing Crowe. She straightened up from her crouched position by the bike.

“You really were serious about staying up all night.”

Cindy laughed. “Told ya. Replaced ‘em discs for ya, but I’m waitin’ for some upgrades to arrive. Paw-paw went ahead to ask for a lil’ favor from one of his friends.”

“I could at least do the legwork for him,” Crowe said. She left out the part where she was worried about an old man going out of his way for her. And the part where she was feeling guilty about not paying anything. Not that she could even afford it.

“No worries.” Cindy used a clean cloth to wipe the sweat from her forehead. “Anyhoo, he’s gonna get some special parts for the beauty I told you ‘bout. Said he’s got a feelin’ those boys’ll be comin’ back.”

Crowe was amused by how excited Cindy got when cars were involved. Something told her that same excitement had probably made Cindy forget all about having some rest. “At least let me treat you something. Breakfast, coffee, anything?”

“Coke. It’ll be nice takin’ a break for a spell.”

“Right, I’ll go get it then.”

Crowe went inside Hammerhead’s diner—Takka’s Pit Stop. She ordered up, thinking about Cindy’s cheerfulness. Maybe it was about time she took a page from her book. Libertus had always teased her for being a killjoy. And while she couldn’t find a single reason to be happy amidst a serious battle, out here she had every reason. Even the pain from her wound had subsided, letting her breathe freely once more.

“Mind if I switch the channel for a sec?” Crowe asked Takka who nodded whilst making the Hammerhead Hot Sandwich she ordered for herself. Maybe Cindy wasn’t hungry, but the Glaive sure was.

When Crowe switched to the news, she noted that there was only about an hour remaining until the signing ceremony. It seemed there had been no delays in preparations. No breaking news with regard to the Kingsglaive’s inner turmoils either. The world still didn’t know a single thing about perhaps one of the biggest treasons in Lucis history. Good. The more subtle the situation was handled, the better.

Crowe knew they needed her. Or at least they would when all hell broke loose. She couldn’t stay at Hammerhead forever; it was her duty to protect the Kingdom and its people. A feeling of dread crept inside her. More of a hunch, a fine soldier’s instinct. It told her that something terrible was upon Lucis, something that would happen with or without her struggling to protect the Crown City.

“Thanks, Takka.” Crowe paid up and waved goodbye. Her mind, however, was elsewhere.

Tomorrow morning. Crowe had already decided that she’d set out to the Crown City at the earliest opportunity. Since Cindy had spoken of upgrades and new parts arriving soon, Crowe figured she’d be able to get back on the road as early as tomorrow morning.

Not that she was eager to. In fact, it was quite the opposite. There was something about Hammerhead and Cindy’s smile which was drawing her to this place. Leaving it seemed harder than it should.

If there was another option, she’d have taken it. But a Glaive’s duty was more than just an obligation. It was a way of living.

Upon exiting the diner, Crowe saw a car stopped in the middle of the garage with absolute disregard of the parking spaces. Cindy was leaning in to speak to the driver.

Walking fast, Crowe drew close enough to hear a man’s deep voice as he shouted at Cindy. The Glaive set the bottle of coke, the can of coffee and the box with her sandwich on the ground by her motorbikr. All the while, she was imagining her fist driving into that unfortunate soul’s face.

“What’s the problem?” Crowe asked. There was a warning in her tone. She just couldn’t believe some people’s insolence. “Too broke to pay for gas? No problem, I can send you back flying to wherever you crawled out of. Free of charge.”

At the sound of her voice, Cindy jumped back in surprise. Her expression told the Glaive something about the situation was very wrong.

“You know, I’ve always hated your bitchy attitude,” the man said.

Very wrong indeed. Because that was a familiar voice. A voice she’d come to dread and hate, and wish she’d never hear again.

Crowe’s eyes widened as the driver bolted out of the car and grabbed Cindy. It was then that her worst assumption came true. In that very moment, she resented not turning back on the road. It would have taken her no more than a minute to check his vitals. To see if he was still breathing. But she hadn’t. And now a completely tarnished but very much alive Luche had taken hold of Cindy. All because Crowe hadn’t looked back.

“The offer still stands,” she said, trying to appear calm. “If you let her go.”

A frightful smirk revealed his twisted intentions. Luche drew a long dagger from the inside of his uniform and held it inches from Cindy’s neck. The blade was about a foot long, glowing with magic. “I think I’ll pass.”

Crowe found and held his gaze. All the while, she was conjuring currents of magic to her fingertips.

What both of the soldiers had overlooked was the heavy wrench inside Cindy’s back pocket. Despite the initial moment of panic, the mechanic had calmed down and was now holding it in her hand. Cindy prepared to swing. Back, then forth. She landed a blow to his knee and dropped the wrench on top of his foot.

Luche’s yelp of pain caught Crowe unprepared. It took her a long moment to realise he’d let go of Cindy but when she did, she didn’t lose time. There was a reason why Crowe Altius was considered one of the best magic wielders in the Kingsglaive. Now seemed like the perfect opportunity to prove it once more.

Crowe conjured up a wind blast. With a flip of her wrist, she sent Luche flying across the fields outside of the outpost. The farther, the better. She had to put a safe distance between her magic and Hammerhead. After all, her element was fire and lighting a gas station on fire was out of the question. Especially this one.

“Your loss.” Crowe shrugged. Invisible to everyone, her fingers were buzzing with a strong magic current. Beneath the flesh, her arm was pure magic. She was ready to block his attacks, to parry, to strike back. “It was a one-time offer.”

As she ran through the fields, the Glaive raised her hand towards the figure struggling to get back on their feet. After a moment, Luche turned to face her. When he prepared to swing his dagger, a dozen sparks ignited upon Crowe’s command. A jab of her index finger later, and the sparks shot out. Fiery bolts dashed towards Luche, moving faster than bullets.

An ear-grating sound followed as the sparks cut through the air.

Luche hurled his dagger with equally inhuman speed. The blade spun, slicing through the bolts one after the other. A single spark licked the side of his face, leaving a gash across the cheek. Blood began oozing out of the wound.

His dagger lost momentum. It flew inches from Crowe’s thigh and caught into the ground.

The woman cursed as she saw that very familiar blue light erupt from the blade. It was another of the Kingsglaive’s many powers. Teleportation. Crowe raised her hand to cast the dagger far away from her but she was too late.

A moment later Luche materialised mere inches from her face. He flung himself at her with full force. His blade was raised high, ready to slice and cut through her.

In the split-second she had before Luche’s dagger drove into her, Crowe took out her own knife. The impact of steel meeting steel vibrated through her very being. With Luche’s sheer strength and brute power, his blade overpowered hers and slid down her arm. Like knife on butter.

The pain was fast and blinding. And then it was gone. Adrenaline took hold of her again, drowning the pain, the panic, the unnecessary feelings and thoughts.

The woman took a shaky step back and conjured magic to her knife. Fire engulfed the blade in a membrane of flames.

“All that talent gone to waste,” Luche said with a long look towards her blade.

Crowe willed the flames to rise higher and grow hotter. Her dagger had heated to bright red. Even a single cut could inflict great damage. One hit. But her opponent would not let even that, not a single openings.

Luche was skilled, switching hands and juggling with his dagger like a street performer. He tested her with a few loose swings. Once, then twice. Probably planning to wear her out and catch her off guard. But she parried each of his advances with fire, leaving no openings he could take advantage of.

Flames darted higher, snapping, sizzling, and sparks flew to the side. Steel met steel with flashes of fire.

When the inevitable happened, Crowe saw it first. But it was too late. She’d left an opening and her opponent lunged for it like a thirsty beast. Crowe blocked his blade, putting her weight into it. Luche feinted with his right and then swung a left, catching her across the lip with his fist.

Crowe stumbled back, away from Luche and the primal fire in his eyes. She had started feeling the strain from the constant magic use. Her flames were beginning to wane, and she could feel every parry shake her to the bone.

Both Crowe and Luche took turns alternating between defence and offence. It was about patience, waiting to the point one of them dropped their guard. Both were panting, both were at their limit.

The woman stared at her opponent—once brother now turned enemy. Small cuts covered his face and a bruise painted the side of his forehead in a ghastly purple. Blood continued oozing from that one gash she'd left earlier. His eyes were filled with hatred and loathing. It was as if the two of them had never been family, had never shared the same path, destiny even (for those who believed in it).

In that moment a loud buzzing sound neither had heard until now became almost unbearable to ignore. A gust of wind swept through the fields, sending dirt into the air.

When Crowe looked up, she felt the world turn upside-down on her. A wave of panic washed over her. The grip on her knife loosened.

A fleet of Niflheim battleships had headed straight for the Crown City.

“Traitors!” Crowe shouted, turning to stare at Luche. Who was no longer there.

“Watch out!”

Cindy’s voice. Filled with strong emotions—fear, hope.

With a leap to the side, Crowe rolled a few feet away. She felt a surge of wind, a sudden rush. Luche’s dagger lodged deep into the ground, the same exact spot she’d occupied only a moment earlier.

It was then that Crowe realised she had no strength left to fight. Her magic was nearing its limit, her grip on the knife was loose and shaky. For how much longer could she remain on the defence? Not long enough. Not long at all.

“Hey, mister!” Cindy’s voice once more. “That ain’t how ya treat a lady!”

The second interruption made Crowe look towards Hammerhead and seek out Cindy. Her eyes burned against the brightness of the sun; it was too difficult to see. Through the sharp light, she caught the faintest glimpse of Cindy armed with a water hose.

Crowe wanted to laugh. And to scream. But at this point, she’d take just about any plan. Even one which involved a water hose.

She nodded.

As Luche feinted another swing at Crowe, Cindy turned on the water. A powerful stream hit him in the chest, throwing him off balance. Crowe channelled the last remaining powers she had to take full control of the water. The stream grew into a current, engulfed Luche in a whirlpool and washed him off onto the road.

“Fucking b—” Luche gagged and spat on the ground.

In the next moment, Crowe’s boot landed on top of his chest.

“Spare me the compliments, Luche.” She leaned towards him, extending her hands towards him. In them buzzed cracks of pure electricity. After engulfing him in water, she could fry him like a piece of toast.

Whatever Luche had planned to do next was forgotten as he took a closer look at cracks darting across her hands.

“Why were those ships headed to Insomnia?” Crowe demanded, despite knowing the answer.

Luche smirked but chose to remain silent. A small electric current ran through his body.

“Damn you,” he spat at her. “Isn’t it obvious? They’ll free our homes of the shackles your beloved King put them in!”

“And you believe a single word they say? They want war. That’s what they bring, not peace.”

Luche’s smirk grew wider. “There will never be peace.”

The woman realised no point existed in trying to talk sense into a man who despised her world so fiercely. “What will happen at the Ceremony?”

Silence.

After another current, this one longer and more painful, Luche shivered and spat water. “A bloodbath, what else do you expect to happen?”

Crowe raised her dagger but a sudden warmth against her back made her stop. When she turned to look behind her shoulder, she saw Cindy smiling at her.

“Get the hell out of here,” Crowe mumbled at Luche before letting herself be guided into the garage by Cindy.

With a quick glance back, Crowe’s gaze followed the former Glaive as he got inside the car he’d come with and sped off in the direction of Insomnia.

‘ _Run_ ’, she thought. ‘ _You won’t go far._ ’

The moment Hammerhead’s mechanic led her into the garage, Crowe lost her charge. Blown out like a candle, the surge of electricity vanished. No magic had left surging through her. She’d reached her limit, and now the last of her magic was spent, gone until who knew when.

Maybe it was all for the better.

“You were on fire, girl!” Cindy exclaimed in her usual cheerfulness. As though not a fight between soldiers but a brawl between drunks had commenced only seconds ago.

Crowe looked at Cindy with one eyebrow raised higher than the other. “Literally, yes.”

Cindy pumped her fist in the air. “Lordy, that was some action right before my eyes!”

Even though a one could argue Cindy seemed unfazed, Crowe knew better. There was something wrong with Cindy’s cheerfulness. It seemed forced. And if Crowe was to be frank with herself, no one in their right mind would remain unfazed after all of this.

Looking closely, the Glaive saw her friend’s hands twitching the slightest bit.

“Why don’t we continue our breakfast?” Crowe surprised herself by saying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dear reader! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Because I totally did. There is something about fast-paced action sequences that just draws me in. Leave your opinion on this work/chapter because feedback is a precious thing!
> 
> Now that Luche is out of the picture for good and Crowe is certain of Niflheim's true intentions, what will she do? Next chapter the girls will finally have a chance to breathe and lean upon one another for support during these unsettling times. Crowe will also be meeting someone new, so stay tuned for more! :)


	4. Duty Is a Bitter Reminder

When Cindy swayed on the way towards the diner, Crowe placed a hand on the small of her back and pressed gently. She was afraid to hold her, afraid the girl would just wriggle out of her grasp and run away. It’s what people did. Whenever Crowe used her powers to save someone, they’d look at her with fear in their eyes. She was terrified that if she looked Cindy in the eye, she’d see disappointment, doubt. Terror.

Back when she was an orphan and lived in the dirt, Crowe despised how her life had come to. After the King took her in as part of their elite soldier squad, the Kingsglaive, she never felt hatred towards herself again. But there were times like this; times when Crowe wondered whether the powers she’d been given didn’t disgust others.

Together, the two women entered Takka’s Pit Stop in silence. The customers were distraught, hiding inside, lowered or crouched down behind the tables. Takka, on the other hand, was drying the glassware like usual, no shits given.

One of the customers glared at Crowe. “What the hell was that?”

The Glaive shrugged. “He didn’t want to pay for gas.”

Takka’s customers looked around, horrified.

“It’s alright, y’all!” Cindy laughed, this time less forced. “Eat up, pay up, and drive safe, ya hear?”

Crowe felt her heart clench as Cindy’s fingers wrapped around hers. The two sat next to each other, bodies pressed tightly. Somehow, with what had just happened, neither felt like putting distance.

No sooner had they sat down than Cindy took out an earpiece from inside her pocket. “This fell when I hit the guy.”

Crowe’s eyes widened. “Thank you, Cindy.”

Hammerhead’s mechanic beamed at her. It was a genuine smile, and it made Crowe feel as though everything was okay. Maybe it really was.

The Glaive inserted the small device in her ear and held her breath. Crowe just hoped she’d overhear something of value. Anything that could help her friends, her kingdom, anything that could stop the disaster upon them.

After some time of listening in on the communication network, she began losing hope. Most of the lines were code words she didn’t understand. Different people joined to report their situation but nothing seemed of use.

Crowe felt a warmth caressing her side. She realised that at some point Cindy had fallen asleep on her shoulder. At least the girl was smiling. The Glaive reached to remove a strand of hair from her friend’s face.

Then, the line clicked again. Yet another person was about to report.

“Imperial General Glauca here, calling to all airborne units.”

Shivers ran through Crowe’s spine. There was no mistaking that voice. She’d heard it too many times to forget it, she’d followed the orders it had given for too long.

It hurt. The biggest, most shocking betrayal had come from their leader. Captain Drautos was the Niflheim Empire’s General. And it hurt the most, despite the fact that Crowe had already had her suspicions.

“All airborne units are to maintain their position at the north gate until further notice. Over and out.”

The Glaive lowered her hand and took out her earpiece in a daze.

Why did it all have to come to this? Crowe didn’t know the answer, nor did she know how many attacks Drautos had orchestrated against his own kingdom. Did the mask of General Glauca ease his guilt? Or did he feel no guilt at all?

There was nothing she could do except call Nyx. Again. As much as it pained her to tell him that the person he looked up to was today’s villain, the Kingdom’s fate was at stake.

Crowe looked at Cindy’s sleeping face. Careful not to disrupt her, the Glaive enveloped her with one arm to keep her from tumbling down the stool as she stood up. Cindy stirred just enough to rest her head on top of the bar. And then she doze off again.

“The phone?” Crowe whispered at Takka.

The man gave a brisk nod, too busy drying the dishes to acknowledge that she had already headed towards it.

It was a pain that Crowe no longer had her own phone with her. Now that Luche was out of the picture and everyone’s thoughts were directed at the Crown City, she doubted she was of particular interest to anybody. Since it was lost, the Glaive used the diner’s phone to secure the line and dial Nyx.

“Is the Princess with you?” she asked in place of a hello.

“Crowe, I’m on duty right now.” Ulric sighed. “But yes, she is and neither of us is overjoyed about it, let me tell you that.”

She had guessed as much. “Well, sorry to spoil the mood but there’s a whole army of Niflheim ships waiting at the north gate. General Glauca’s commanding them.”

Surely, there must have been a more subtle way to deliver the bad news to Nyx but Crowe decided to drop the bomb as soon as possible. No point fooling around when time was of the utmost importance.

“Fantastic. I’m not even gonna ask how you know all of this.”

Crowe didn’t know either. It was a complete coincidence that Cindy had picked up Luche’s earpiece. Then again, there were no coincidences.

“We’ve got this, Crowe,” he told her with assurance. “Thanks to your heads-up last time, we’ve secured the area. Libertus even discovered some Lucian rebels’ plans to sabotage the Treaty.”

She wanted to believe that it was enough to stop the disaster upon Lucis from happening.

“There’s one more thing, Nyx.” Crowe felt her voice betray her as it faltered, so she took a steady breath. It didn’t help at all. “General Glauca is actually Captain Drautos.”

The momentary silence on the other line was painful to endure.

“There’s little time until the ceremony starts. I’ll try to talk to the King.” A pause. “And then I’ll deal with the General and his fleet.”

Crowe wished she hadn’t heard the clear note of anguish in his voice as he spoke.

“Good luck.”

The woman stood with the telephone in her hand long after Nyx had disconnected.

Duty called her towards Insomnia but she could not move. Not only because Hammerhead was now like a home to her. Because of her wounds, of her utter uselessness now that she had delivered the information and had reached her magic limit. What could she do, pack a gun and start shooting at the magitek soldiers? Her right hand was shaking; her fingers wouldn’t even close around the doorknob. Drops of blood were dripping down her shredded clothes.

Crowe returned inside the diner with a solemn look. Even though she had suggested continuing their breakfast, it had been a lie. Her busted lip was starting to pulse and hurt. Blood ran down her arm from the gash Luche’d left with his dagger. The Glaive felt as if she’d cough up her insides any moment now. She’d wanted to guide Cindy somewhere she’d be safe but in the end no one was safe as long as they were close to her.

Before Crowe had had the chance to speak, Takka saw her puzzled look. He motioned towards the door to his right.

“Cindy went to get ice for your wounds.” A head tilt to the side accompanied the gesture. “I keep the freezers in a separate room, through there.”

The Glaive thanked him, her body already moving on its own.

Summertime in the outskirts of Lucis had always been a nightmare. Long days and not even a single blow of wind to lift the scorching heat that had settled across the lands. Back here, however, was a bliss.

Three big freezers, a single miniature window, and a large sink were all there was inside of the room. But boy, did it feel at least ten degrees colder than outside.

Crowe approached Cindy and leaned against the wall, next to the sink. “Did I wake you up?”

“Paw-paw came back.”

That meant... “So the parts are here?”

Hammerhead’s mechanic nodded. It made Crowe realise just how limited her time here was.

“For yer lip, sugar,” Cindy explained as she pressed a bag of frozen peas onto Crowe’s bottom lip. With only just enough pressure, ever so softly.

“Thanks,” the Glaive mumbled.

Crowe lost track of how long they must have sat like that for. She suspected it wasn’t long at all but it felt like a stolen eternity. The ice had begun melting, sending drops of water running down her neck and past her collarbones.

Cindy continued to work on patching and bandaging her wounded arm. An occasional wince would make her look up at Crowe and search her face for the signs of pain. Other than that, they sat in silence.

“You a soldier or somethin’?”

The woman thought how she could best explain her line of work. It wasn’t the most conventional, for sure.

“You could say that. The King took me in from the dirt and offered me to protect Lucis’ people, to fight for them. With magic.” Crowe winced as Cindy applied more pressure to her lip.

“Woulda been nice if everybody had one of ‘em protectors like you.” Cindy laughed, though shakily. “Guardian angel, ya’know!”

“Don’t know about the angel part,” Crowe admitted.

“Was ‘bout twenty years ago when I saw them. The daemons. Jumped a car that was runnin’ through these parts one night.” Cindy took a breath. “Saw it with my own eyes. Can’t never forget it.”

Crowe cast a cautious side-look at her friend. The creatures which roamed the countryside had been a problem some time ago. Until the raids, at least. It was indeed during a raid against the daemons that the Lucii soldiers stumbled across Crowe’s village.

“So trust your girl.” Cindy smiled again. “When she says yar her guardian angel.”

“You did save me back then, though. With the wrench.”

“And the water hose.”

Both of them laughed. “That too.”

More silence. Through it, the Glaive could hear the radio from across the room as the news announced the Peace Treaty’s terror. Magitek soldier flooding the streets. A Niflheim fleet approaching the city of Insomnia.

Cindy saw Crowe’s long face. She brushed the side of her cheek with her hand before heading off to install the parts Paw-paw had brought her. It was her way of coping with everything that had happened.

But Crowe’s coping mechanism meant burying herself in work tasks. She couldn’t help but imagine herself escorting the civilians to safety, defending the city against the hordes of magitek soldiers. Taking down aircrafts with bolts of lightning.

As she exited the comfort of the cold room, Crowe saw that two men were listening to the radio just as intently as her. One of them, who Crowe suspected was Paw-paw, Cindy’s grandfather, motioned for her to come join them. She sat on the stool next to him, nodding in courtesy. The other man had his face covered by a hood.

“So yar Crowe. The name’s Cid,” Paw-paw said. “Never thought I’d see a Kingsglaive ‘round here, to tell ya the truth.”

It made Crowe wonder just what his connection to Lucis must have been to know about the Kingsglaive and how they operated. “And I never thought I’d be sent around here.”

“Got a point there.” Cid looked at his companion and asked, “Anything on the secure network?”

The man lowered his hood. It revealed blue eyes filled with deep sadness and a face which had been marked by worry and exhaustion. A soldier’s expression. “Just static.”

Crowe recognised him in an instant. “Commander Leonis!”

Him being here (of all places) begged the question exactly who had remained to protect the kingdom. At first, she couldn’t let herself ask but felt the need for an answer lodge in her throat.

Cor Leonis, the Commander of the Crownsguard, looked at her with his tired eyes. “Here on orders?”

“Not exactly, sir.” Crowe thought for a moment how to best explain her situation. “I was given orders to escort Princess Lunafreya but a former Glaive ambushed me on the way to Tenebrae.”

“Ah,” Cor said with a sigh. “So you’re the person who informed us about the betrayal. What’s your name, soldier?”

“Crowe Altius, sir.”

“Admirable work, Crowe.”

Neither said anything more. Cid stared at the radio with a look of reminiscence, almost as if he was calling to the past and praying for the forgiveness of the present. Cor wore the expression of a warrior fallen in battle. And Crowe, she could only close her eyes and wait. She didn’t want to lose anyone, not even a complete stranger. She just wanted to find the Crown City as she had left it.

It was almost dusk when the terrible news came on the radio: “...King Regis Lucis Caelum has been reported dead. We repeat, the King of Lucis...”

A small throaty sound came from Cid. He excused himself and exited the diner. His walk was one of defeat and grief. He looked like a man who’d lost a lot in his life and just kept on losing more.

Crowe looked at Cor but wished she hadn’t. He appeared to have been dealt a blow to the heart.

When he finally spoke, his voice was strained. “I can’t help but think the King knew this would happen.”

“Because he sent the Prince away from the Crown City?”

“I believe so.” Cor looked towards the distance. “He had me depart Insomnia this morning as well, with an order to become the Prince’s shadow.”

In that moment, Crowe was oddly reminded of Cindy’s words. “Lucis’ fate is now upon Prince Noctis’ shoulders. Don’t you think the King felt there would be no better guardian than you to help him carry the burden?”

“Duty is a bitter reminder that it is all we have.” Cor placed the hood back on. He stood up and extended his hand towards Crowe. “Despite the bitterness, I have sworn to serve it with my life. The time has come to protect our Kingdom, Soldier.”

Crowe shook it. “Roger that, Commander!”

She realised that his words carried the power of all his battles—victories and defeats. He must have inspired many soldiers to follow in his footsteps. Yet, in a way, he seemed to be saying this more for his own sake than for hers.

Cor left the diner without a backwards glance. After a moment of solitude, Crowe did as well.

The Glaive reached Cindy’s room almost by instinct. As she opened the door, she found the owner already undressing for bed.

“Come ‘ere, sugar,” Cindy greeted her. She was in a ‘Chocobo Grand-Prix’ T-shirt which somehow didn’t surprise Crowe but did make her chuckle.

Cindy’s fingers enclosed around Crowe’s wrist, warm and silky to the touch.

At that moment, all Crowe wanted was to pretend she wasn’t a soldier who knew only how to fight. She wanted to know how to respond to the warmth of Cindy’s touch. And it came naturally.

“Yar a mess, ya know that, right?”

To that, Crowe could only shrug.

Cindy helped her undress and lent her a tank-top with the sign ‘HAMMERHEAD: Full-Service Station’.

“Keep it,” she said. “I like it on ya.”

The blonde led Crowe into the bed. They stared at one another through the dark before Cindy reached out and embraced the other girl in a reassuring hug.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Crowe began. “Why do you have two Moogle charms in your room?”

Cindy chortled. “For double luck! Got a third back in the truck.”

Why was that not surprising?

Crowe laughed, feeling as though she could melt into Cindy’s embrace. She fell asleep with Cindy in her arms and somehow the world wasn’t falling to pieces anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, reader! Thank you for keeping up with this story. As you have probably sensed by the end of this chapter, we're also reaching the end of the work. Next week's chapter is going to be the final one. I'm actually excited about it because it means I can work on future projects.
> 
> Anyhow, stay tuned for the story finale! :)


	5. Dream of a Bright and Sunny Day

Crowe zipped up her new mechanic jacket all the way to the neck. It did little to shield her from the gusts of wind sweeping through the lands outside of Insomnia. The city which never slept. Now the city with smoke and ash billowing atop its unbreachable walls.

A sudden surge of wind sent an empty soda can rolling onto the road. The Glaive watched as Cindy bent down to pick it up.

“Ya should do another demonstration of yer powers,” said Cindy as she lifted the can. “Maybe that’ll stop them folks from littering.”

“I think that will stop them from coming here altogether.”

Cindy adjusted the bill of her cap. She bent at the knees, squared her shoulders, and shot the can inside a nearby garbage bin.

“And Cindy Aurum scores three points for Hammerhead!” the mechanic yelled in a fine sports reporter interpretation.

Crowe laughed. “No way was that a three-point shot.”

“Sure was.”

The only thing Crowe could do was shake her head as Cindy continued punching the air in triumph. “You’re such a nerd, you know that, right?”

With one last shake of her head, the Glaive mounted the motorbike. Its new black polish gleamed underneath the morning sun’s rays. It felt good. And as far as Crowe was concerned, it would feel even better when gliding on the open road.

She looked at Cindy with a playful spark in her eyes. The mechanic (and apparently new-born basketball star) took the invitation and hopped on behind her. As she clasped her warm hands around Crowe’s waist, the biker felt a tingling sensation spread across her body and flare within her.

Both of them put black helmets Cindy had kept in her garage. Crowe used the opportunity to hide her smile.

The Glaive waved at a nodding Cid and a nonchalant Takka before pumping the shifter to first gear. It felt so familiar to be back on the road, so calming. With Cindy behind her, Crowe felt as though she could just ride far away and be happy. As long as they were together, anywhere was good. Even the road back to the fallen Insomnia seemed less daunting.

The motorcycle came to life with a beautiful roar which caused Cindy to whoop in enthusiasm.

Crowe thought she saw Commander Leonis hidden in the shadows as they passed the garage but did nothing. They were soldiers. As such, they needed no parting words. Their oath to serve Lucis and the new King was more than enough to seal their fate. Even so, she had a feeling they’d meet again. Perhaps with Leonis beside King Noctis and Crowe beside Queen Lunafreya.

Soon, Hammerhead was behind the two women and they were out on the main highway to Insomnia.

“Ain’t it pretty!” Cindy exclaimed, pointing at the sunny sky and the open road ahead of them.

Crowe was engulfed by the eagerness in Cindy’s voice and the thrill of the rush. She was wrapped up in the shift of the gears onto the open road, in each lean into every twisty corner. It seemed like her only pleasure was to have the bike obey her every command and hear every single one of Cindy’s exclamations. It was music to her ears.

“See that flower valley?” the mechanic asked whilst pointing to the right.

“Hey, easy there.” Crowe regained her composure in the matter of seconds but Cindy’s sudden gesture had done a fine job at freaking her out. More so than she ever wished to admit.

After they reached the end of the flower valley, Cindy lost interest in the scenery and hugged Crowe even tighter. She nestled close to her, so close that the biker’s entire back was burning from the touch.

Crowe wanted this trip to last forever. She had been so entranced, in fact, that she hadn’t noticed when they’d reached the rocky valley Cindy had described. The one where they were supposed to part ways. At least for now, until Crowe had met up with Nyx and the others.

“That’s him, right there!” said Cindy. She waved at a man in the distance.

Crowe slowed down. Soon, she came to a gentle stop, eyes falling on the man who’d pulled over to the side of the road. After the incident with Luche, she had grown wary. Not that she had anything to be on the lookout for.

“I bring the repair kit,” Cindy called out to the man before turning back to Crowe.

The Glaive looked at her but didn’t know what to say. “Are you sure you don’t want a lift back to Hammerhead?”

“Nope, just gotta fix the ol’ girl ‘ere up, and this lad’s gonna give me a ride back.”

Or maybe Crowe knew what to say. Maybe it was just difficult to do it.

“I’m gonna be back, Cindy,” she said after a moment’s thought. “And next time, I’ll stay.”

No, that didn’t seem right either. Didn’t seem quite enough.

Surprising herself more than anybody else, Crowe reached out for the side of Cindy’s face and pulled her in for a long kiss. The tingling sensation she’d felt earlier was now magnified to a jolt of her heart at every breath. When Cindy eased into the kiss and accepted it with equal passion, Crowe thought she’d melt right then and there.

Then came the startling realisation that this had been what she’d felt was missing from the start. The words she didn’t know how to utter. The answer wasn’t meant to be held within words to begin with; whatever she said wouldn’t be enough. She wanted and needed Cindy by her side but it was a feeling deeper than need. It was an instinct she’d acted upon.

Cindy broke the kiss to giggle at Crowe’s burning face.

“Don’t laugh,” the soldier managed to say in a breathless voice.

Her reaction seemed to amuse Cindy even further. She chortled and the smile lit up her face and reached as far as the golden spectacles in her eyes.

The blonde gave a quick but gentle peck on her cheek. “Yar real cute, sugar.” 

“And you’re unbelievably straightforward about this.”

Cindy grinned. “Maybe I’ve been waitin’.”

Waiting for  _ her  _ to make the first move? Somehow, Crowe hadn’t imagined Cindy waiting for anybody. She seemed like the type of person to head straight for what she wanted, no roundabouts and no giving up. But maybe this wasn’t something to approach as you normally would.

Crowe had fallen in love, silently and without notice but surely and steadily. Now, she was in deep. The feeling was like no other and it blessed her with the courage to make the first move. Maybe this was what love did to people. It had the power to spin you ‘round, to urge you when you yearn in silence and to make you hesitant when all you’ve ever been is bold.

“Don’t cha have a world to save?” Cindy asked, still smiling.

“That can wait for a moment.”

Cindy placed the helmet back on Crowe and gave her friend a small push towards the bike. “Like Ifrit’s ‘ell it can!”

Just as the Glaive hopped on the motorbike, she looked back to catch one last glimpse of Cindy before taking off. Her heart hammered inside her chest. Leaving her felt next to impossible, even if it were for a short time.

Hammerhead’s mechanic pointed at her bike. “Bring the girl next time ‘round.”

“What about this girl?” Crowe laughed as she motioned towards herself.

Cindy waved her off dismissively, a gesture which caused Crowe’s smile to spread.

Yes, they were good. Crowe had a place to return to and a person who awaited her there. She had nothing more to ask for.

The Glaive took off towards the Crown City at full speed, head-on. She flew across the road like hurricane, pushing the newly upgraded motorbike to its limits. At that moment, Crowe’d never felt more alive. She was fired up and ready to respond to her call of duty.

There were things to be taken care of. A Kingsglaive to re-establish, a Kingdom to protect, a wedding to plan. Crowe had a list of tasks to do, and only until she was satisfied could she return to Cindy. When that day came, she’d head to Hammerhead and stay by her side. Maybe she’d introduce her to Nyx and Libertus. They’d probably swoon, but she wasn’t worried. Not after the look Cindy had given her after that kiss.

Until then, she was Crowe Altius. A loyal soldier to the Kingdom and its people, a member of the Kingsglaive, a powerful magic wielder. A person who kept their word.

She’d called Nyx earlier this morning. He’d just said, “I don’t know where to fucking start.” At least he seemed to be in his usual mood. They’d agreed to meet up at the main gate, along with Libertus and Lady Lunafreya. Then, they’d decide what to do next. After all, there was a lot to be done.

The previous night, as she’d slept with Cindy in her embrace, Crowe’d had the most interesting of dreams. A bright and sunny day with wedding bells ringing through the whole city. King Noctis and Queen Lunafreya, hand-in-hand, were exchanging their vows. Nyx and Libertus stood at the Queen’s side as her loyal guards; by the King was a small group of three friends. Cid, Commander Leonis, and many other people Crowe had seen on rare occasions had peaceful smiles across their faces.

As for Crowe herself, she was standing with Cindy next to her. The blonde was wearing a yellow dress and had a flower tucked behind her ear. Cindy in a dress. What an interesting dream indeed.

Crowe couldn’t wait for that day to come. Something told her it wouldn’t take long. Happiness awaited them close by. Even though she hadn’t been one to believe in it, that had changed. She’d changed. Now, she believed the bright and sunny day from her dream would come. And the wedding bells would be ringing through the whole city, echoing across every land, resonating inside everyone’s heart and soul. Crowe was certain of it.

In the distance, the Crown City’s unbreachable walls stood tall and glorious. Parts of crashed Niflheim aircrafts lay scattered across the road towards Insomnia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dear reader! I cannot even begin to express my gratitude towards you for having followed this story! :) While you may have had different expectations in regard to the outcome, I hope you have enjoyed this work and had as great a time reading this as I had writing it.
> 
> When I think about it, the idea for this story came to me after someone expressed their need for more Final Fantasy XV F/F stories. Back then, I thought that if only Crowe had lived through Luche's attempt on her life, she would have probably found Hammerhead and met Cindy. I spent a lot of time looking through maps to make sure this was possible and went through the game one more time to get a feel for Cindy's dialogue. In the beginning, I was worried about emphasising on her dialect through phonetic transcription because it is considered to be a big no-no in writing but I thought, "Why not? They use it in the game all the time." Hope it doesn't bug you. By the way, I didn't play the game in English the first time so I was surprised when I did. Cindy has a really nice voice.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this story. Thank you for reading it and thank you for your time! Nothing will bring me greater joy than to know it was well-spent. Take care, dear reader! Have a bright and sunny day. Every day. :)


End file.
